My Heart Belongs To You
by Invisibool
Summary: Cali-Ante the Blaze and Princess Ghalia the Ghast both are hiding secrets from those around them. But they discover something new when they start talking to each other. Contains humanized mobs.


I patrol at all times. The castle must be defended.

My name is Cali-Ante. I am of a long-living tribe of pyrokinetic mages called Blaze. My duty is to protect and serve the royal family and their Flame Castle, to keep any and all intruders out. I intend to fulfill this duty placed upon me, even should death strike me down.

The castle's brick floor sounded beneath me as I walked down the corridor. My body was not visible, instead hidden by the long black robe and hood I wore.

I passed by two more of my kind conversing in the corner. Upon sight of me, they began speaking to me.

"Hey, Cali! Princess Ghalia looked reeeaaal fine this morning, eh?" one commented.

"A little lady like that? Put up no resistance if you were to go 'set her ablaze', right?"

Both of them laughed madly at their mockery of the Princess. My orange eyes burned under my concealing hood. I spoke to them, my voice a deep grumble.

"My heart belongs to the Princess. I would never think of doing such things. Now I suggest you both cease your disrespect to her highness, or I will not hesitate to make the both of you burn."

They held their hands up defensively.

"Hey, man. We're just having a little fun, is all."

Shaking my head, I ignored them and proceeded on my way. I was soon stopped when a small puddle of magma was heading my way. It stopped in front of me, and the top half of a humanoid rose out of it.

"Cali-Ane, sir, I bring news from the royal family. The King and Queen have summoned you to their throne room."

"I see..." I responded. "Very well. I shall report to them at once."

The King and Queen were very kind rulers. The King came from the ancient family of the Seal of Flame, who inhabited the Nether for thousands of years. As males were more common in their race, they called themselves the Magmen.

The Queen had come from the cryptic Legion of Souls, a secretive order of a predominantly female race called the White Maidens.

Female Mag"men" and male White "Maidens" were exceptionally rare, leading the two races to regularly interbreed.

The Princess... She was quite a beautiful young lady, with her large, caring red eyes, white flowing hair, white dress, and twin pigtails. She most resembled the Queen's race, but had the power of her father's kind: Mental kinesis of magma.

My heart raced at the thought of meeting her again...

"Greetings, your majesties," I said with a low bow, "I apologize for making you wait."

The King chuckled. "Nonsense! For such a kind and loyal man as you, any wait is acceptable."

I fidgeted, "You wished to speak to me about something, your majesty?"

The King nodded. "Yes, that... The time has come that any royal family awaits. The Princess is now of age and able to marry. However, Nether law states that she must be married off immediately. Unfortunately, the Princess has not chosen a husband, so we no longer have any options. We must choose for her..."

All three members of the royal family looked upset for a moment.

"Which brings me to why you're here..."

My heart almost skipped, and I grew very nervous.

"After much consideration, we have decided that the most suitable husband for our daughter... would be you."

I almost collapsed right away from shock. Surely I was mishearing? I... was to... marry the Princess?

The King and Queen both gently applauded.

"Congratulations, Sir Cali-Ante," the King praised.

Her majesty turned to the Princess, "Ghalia, dear, why don't you go take a stroll with Cali-Ante? You and he will perhaps learn more about one another."

After a moment, the Princess stood up and walked over to me. I slowly reached out to take her hand, but she drew it away.

"I'm fine," she said with mild irritation.

As the Princess and I walked through Flame Castle, I'd realized the kind of predicament I had gotten myself into. I have lied to the Princess, and the King and Queen, just to be closer to the young girl I walked with. But now that it had happened, the situation had gotten farther than I intended...

But the Princess wouldn't speak to me, as if she hated me... Regardless, I had to say something, anything, to break the silence...

"So..." I started, "Lovely weather, isn't it?"

Except that.

She looked at me, "We're in a cave."

I didn't say a word, and instead hung my head shamefully. Thankfully, my cloak hid that.

She sighed, "I'm sorry. I've been inexcusably rude to you."

"Princess..." I said, "If you dislike me, we shall go to the King and Queen to find you another husband."

"I don't want a husband..." she said, her large red eyes tearing up.

"Princess, I understand if you're not ready for marriage, but it-"

"No, Cali-Ante, you don't understand..." she cried, "I don't want a husband. Please, it's not you... You're such a kind, caring, intelligent, loyal man, but... I just don't feel anything for you, nor any other man..."

"But Princess, the fact of the matter is, whether it's to me or not, you still must get married..."

"I know that! And I do want to get married!"

"F-Forgive me, Princess, but I... I don't follow..."

"It's okay, Cali-Ante..." she began crying quite profusely. "I've been lying to everyone... But I need to tell someone, just to feel like I'm not alone..."

"Princess...?"

"Cali-Ante... There's a reason I don't want to marry any man I've met... It's because... I... I like girls..."

I froze as the Princess started sobbing, and the words sank in. I couldn't move. The pieces of everything were just fitting together too well. It wasn't possible, yet here it was, happening right before my eyes.

"Princess..." I spoke carefully, "What you just did... It was so very brave of you... And... I have something to say as well..."

She had slowed her tears, and looked up at me.

"I'm afraid I haven't been entirely honest myself..."

I looked into her eyes, and grasped the sides of my hood.

"Princess... I-"

THCK! TWANG!

I recoilded quickly as an arrow soared, just narrowly missing my face, and embedded itself into the wall.

I turned to the origin to see three humans: One cloaked in green robes, holding a sword, one bow-wielding one with red and blue clothes, and one holding various colored potions and wearing a black suit covering his entire body, with purple eyes.

The archer readied his bow, but I dove out of the way. Calling upon my powers, I summoned fire around me, and cast it at the intruders. Moments before impact, the third human threw an orange bottle on the ground. The fire engulfed them, and I smirked confidently.

The smoke and flames dissipated, but the humans stood unscathed. I gasped, and stepped backward in fright.

"No! Princess! Run!"

"No!" she yelled, "They have Fire Resistance Potions! You can't do it alone!"

She shouted, and a glob of molten magma appeared over her. She cast it at them, and it exploded on impact. The smoke cleared, and the cloaked human charged forward.

I leaped away from him, casting more fire, but to no effect.

I heard the Princess throw another magma bomb, and saw the bow-wielding human sail over the side to the ground far below.

The dark human glared, and dropped more bottles at his feet. He charged forward very quickly, and punched me, making me stumble backward. The punch hurt more than normal. Another magma cube blindsided the human, casting him over the edge.

The last human charged, swinging his sword, striking me multiple times, then kicking me to the ground.I watched, pained, as he quickly ran to the Princess and grabbed her by the throat. He raised his sword as the Princess struggled.

Seething in rage, I dashed at him. He spotted me coming, and tried swinging his blade. I rammed him, and he released the Princess, stumbling over the edge to his death.

The Princess stared at me in horror.

"Princess... are you okay?"

"Cali-Ante! You...!"

I looked down to see the human's sword had pierced my body, and blood was seeping everywhere.

"A-Ah..." I stuttered before falling to the ground. I felt my hood fall away, revealing my long orange hair. The Princess gasped loudly.

"C-Cali-Ante! Y-You're a... a...!"

I gazed up at her, trying to resist the terrible pain.

"I-I'm sorry, Princess..." I said, dropping the masculine grumble and using my actual feminine voice. "I-I shouldn't have lied to you..."

She dropped to her knees, scooping me into her arms, "But... But, why? Why didn't you tell me that... That you're a... a girl?"

I noticed her face was bright red, but I couldn't tell whther it was from embarrassment, anger, or something else. I chuckled weakly.

"I... wanted to be near you, Princess... I... I always thought you were such a beautiful young lady..."

"C-C-Cali-Ante!"

"Princess Ghalia... I...I love you..." I winced in pain as my vision started clouding. I felt the blood covering my body. "P-Princess... I don't have a lot of time..."

"No! It'll be alright! We can get through this!" She was crying so hard, it broke my heart...

"P-Please, Princess, save your tears... I'm afraid it's too late for me..."

"No! You can't die! You can't!"

"I'm glad that your beautiful face will be the last thing I have the privelige to gaze upon..."

The Princess was silent, and suddenly she gently placed her lips upon mine. After a few seconds that were far too short, she drew away. I felt a sharp pain again in my torso, and my vision began going dark.

"Cali-Ante!"

"Goodbye, my sweet Princess Ghalia... I love you..."

My eyes shut, and I felt my body perish. 


End file.
